Hello and welcome to our live blog of the All Whites taking on Mexico in the second leg of the intercontinental World Cup playoff in Wellington.

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:01:35 AM

Despite returning from the first leg at the Azteca in Mexico with a four-goal deficit, Wellington is buzzing tonight with the capital overcome by All Whites fever. There is a 'white-out' in the streets with thousands of fans dressing up to sing and chant their support and hope for a miracle.

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:03:45 AM

Tonight we will either see one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time, or Ricki Herbert's final game in charge of the All Whites.

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:11:38 AM

Herbert announced yesterday that he will stand down at the end of this World Cup campaign and has selected a young, inexperienced but exciting starting lineup which represents the future of the All Whites.

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:13:47 AM

How young and how inexperienced I hear you ask? Well 18-year old Bill Tuiloma will tonight make his starting debut at left back and 20-year old Storm Roux will make his debut at right back.

Hi Guys, already a fair few All Whites fans in here at Westpac Stadium. Everyone is decked out in white and the All Whites enjoyed a warm reception when they came out to warm-up just before. Pubs and the streets were packed on my walk to the Cake Tin....

by Daniel Richardson11/20/2013 5:19:49 AM

My name is Steven Holloway and with the help of my man on the spot Daniel Richardson we will bring you all the buildup and action from Wellington. Join the chat by clicking 'comment now' and flick us your score predictions, thoughts on the starting lineup or where you're tuning in from.

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:20:24 AM

Mexican team has just entered to a rousing dose of "boooooo", I guess it's ok when Quade Cooper's not playing?

by Daniel Richardson11/20/2013 5:21:45 AM

That's for their warm-ups sorry, not the game, obviously. People still slowly filtering in to the ground here...

by Daniel Richardson11/20/2013 5:22:13 AM

Ivan Vicelich, Chris Wood and Leo Bertos are all suspended from tonight's game after picking up yellow cards at the Azteca and it has forced a real re-shuffle of the deck for Herbert.

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:23:21 AM

I'm sitting alongside one of the Herald's many football scribes, Michael Burgess, and if he mentions any words of wisdom, I will drop them in too..

by Daniel Richardson11/20/2013 5:23:54 AM

He has abandoned his defensive 3-4-3 (4-5-1) in favour of an attacking 4-4-2 with 'ball players' scattered throughout the team.

All Whites player announcements going on.... receiving big cheers here, crowd is building nicely, this should be an entertaining evening

by Daniel Richardson11/20/2013 5:33:42 AM

Just under 30 minutes till kickoff and Ivan Vicelich is doing the pre-match sideline interviews."Boys are feeling really good, team spirit is really high, we are out there looking for goals tonight."

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:35:20 AM

Bet no one saw those answers coming..

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:35:45 AM

The fans tonight are trying to recreate the atmosphere of four years ago, when the All Whites beat Bahrain 1-0 to progress to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years in one of the great night's in NZ sport.

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:38:07 AM

We created this oral history of the All Whites' epic journey and we recommend you take the time to check it out. www.nzherald.co.nz

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:39:26 AM

Mexican fans outside singing "esta noche, tenemos que ganar" (tonight, we have to win). Well no actually, you don't...@nzheraldsport

"All Whites" chants starting to go up at Westpac now. Considering the situation of the tie, you have to admire the fans for turning out in their droves.

by Daniel Richardson11/20/2013 5:51:49 AM

Looks like the standard Kiwi football fan move of turning up ten minutes before kick off might catch a few out tonight.

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:51:51 AM

Crowds stream in this late to Phoenix games. But different when it's a sellout to the 73* people that attend Phoenix matches. * figures are approximate

by Daniel Richardson11/20/2013 5:53:00 AM

Their are lots of question marks about how this All Whites team will stack up against world class opposition. Apart from the baby-faced fullbacks, the Kiwi midfield of McGlinchey, James, Barbarouses and Brockie will have to put in a huge shift defensively for this system to click.

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:54:19 AM

The players are now making their way out onto the field on a beautiful clear night. Perfect playing conditions.

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:54:48 AM

Mexico are up first on the anthem front and it's a jaunty instrumental number. Can't say I'm blown away, but some good effort made from the Mexican fans in the stand. 6.5/10.

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:57:15 AM

That's more like it. Westpac Stadium comes together for the Kiwi anthem and it's a booming rendition. Rory Fallon is giving it heaps. First blood to the Kiwis 8/10.

by Steven Holloway11/20/2013 5:58:10 AM

Plenty of white in the crowd, should be a decent spectacle. Here we goooo